Can British Airways do this?

Dilemma1951

I recently purchased Business Class flights from London Heathrow to Australia return. I then subsequently added the return flight to Heathrow from Newcastle as I couldn't add it to the original booking as I was up there at the time I would need to travel and did not know that originally.

The Newcastle - Heathrow flight only had 1 suitcase allowance whereas the Business Class flights had at least 2. I paid up front for the extra case on the Newcastle flight as it's cheaper to add it before flying. £60 for each flight.

On the return flight from Sydney to Heathrow I was informed I had achieved a higher status in their Executive Club on my outbound flights. This higher status includes a free case on all bookings. This meant that I needn't have paid the £60 for the extra case on the flight from Heathrow to Newcastle.

They are refusing to refund me the money. Quote : Unfortunately, as you did not have Silver status with our Executive Club at the time your booking was made initially, the additional allowance does not apply.

I'm not happy with that response and would welcome advice.

Alan_Bowen

The advice is that they are correct, when you booked you were either Blue or Bronze, if you had booked the flights including the domestics at the same time, you would have had the business class allowance all the way through. As you didn't, the rules that applied were those at the time of booking, I doubt you will get anywhere but at least for the next months you will have all the benefits of silver status and they are certainly worth having

Ballard

I don't think that there was any way that you could have got around it as they don't add Avios or Tier Points until you've taken the flight.

silvercar

I think you should join the flyertalk BA forum. You will pick up lots of snippets of info on maximising your silver status. Experts on there will know how easy it would be to now cancel your extra luggage, assuming you haven't flown that sector yet.

Utilising the extra luggage allowance doesn't need to be pre-booked. You literally turn up at check in with your extra case.

Doshwaster

BA are correct in applying their rules to the letter.

If you make enough of a fuss you may get a few thousand Avios in order to shut you up but there's not much chance of getting the money back. If you'd planned your trip with the hindsight of experience then you could have been advised that there was no need to book the extra luggage allowance on the final domestic leg.

Congratulation on reaching your elite status. Now is the time to start getting to grips with the complex rules of the BAEC as there are many ways of using them to your advantage. As above the BA Forum on Flyertalk (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/british-airways-executive-club-446/) is a fantastic as long as you are prepared to wade through a lot of acronyms.

Dilemma1951

Thanks everyone. Appreciate your advice and prompt response. Have signed up to Flyertalk. x

malkie76

If you had linked the two flights after making the Newcastle booking (by calling BA) the higher luggage allowance would have applied.

Sadly you've got what you paid for, even if it was unnecessary, but it's a useful note to others in the same situation.